Scripture Verse

Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called wonderful, counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

Introduction

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Martin Luther (1483–1546)
Lucas Cranach the Elder, 1529

Words: Mar­tin Lu­ther, 1531 (Vom Him­mel hoch da komm ich her). This ver­sion was pub­lished in the Penn­syl­van­ia Lu­ther­an Church Book, 1868, and is based on trans­la­tions by Ar­thur T. Rus­sell and Ca­the­rine Wink­worth.

Music: Vom Him­mel hoch from Geist­liche Lied­er, by Val­en­tin Schu­mann (Leip­zig, Ger­ma­ny: 1539). Har­mo­ny by Jo­hann S. Bach (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tunes:

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Johann S. Bach (1685–1750)

Lyrics

Good news from Heav’n the an­gels bring,
Glad tidi­ngs to the earth they sing:
To us this day a Child is giv’n,
To crown us with the joy of Heav’n.

This is the Christ, our God and Lord,
Who in all need shall aid af­ford;
He will Him­self our Sav­ior be,
From all our sins to set us free.

To us that bless­ed­ness He brings,
From which the Fa­ther’s boun­ty springs;
That in the hea­ven­ly realm we may
With Him enj­oy eter­nal day.

All hail, Thou no­ble Guest, this morn,
Whose love did not the sin­ner scorn:
In my dis­tress Thou com’st to me,
What thanks shall I re­turn to Thee?

Were earth a thou­sand times as fair,
Beset with gold and jew­els rare,
She yet were far too poor to be
A nar­row cra­dle, Lord, for Thee.

Ah, dear­est Je­sus, ho­ly Child,
Make Thee a bed, soft, un­de­filed,
Within my heart, that it may be
A quiet cham­ber kept for Thee.

Praise God upon His hea­ven­ly throne;
Who gave to us His on­ly Son;
For this His hosts, on joy­ful wing,
A blest New Year of mer­cy sing.